One of the most commonly performed tasks in the utilities industry is fastening a bucket cover. Bucket cover wear and tear— which is caused by exposure to harsh elements such as rain, wind, snow, ice, and extreme temperatures—requires the user to exert more effort in applying or removing the bucket cover. If the bucket cover is already difficult to use under “normal” conditions, then these problems will be amplified when the cover begins to deteriorate as a result of this wear and tear.
While fastening a bucket cover isn’t an inherently repetitive task in that it’s typically only performed once a day, a wide range of employees will complete this job task every day so if this is an area of risk or concern, it can have a negative impact on employee safety and injury rates. Because utility work is performed outside in the elements, the existing risk of slips, trips and falls may be compounded by the same environmental conditions that cause wear and tear to the bucket covers.
In order to mitigate the risks of applying a bucket cover, we first need to identify the physical demands being placed on employees by observing job functions and task-associated behaviors. Once we’ve identified specific areas of risk, we can use these observations to develop hierarchical risk mitigation strategies through the lens of the 3E Process™: Engineering, Ergonomics, and Exercise.
The 3E Process™
Engineering:
Eliminate injury risk by modifying equipment, tools or the work environment, as well as adapting job descriptions or instituting policy changes.
Ergonomics:
Mitigate risk by educating employees on proper body mechanics, avoiding at-risk movements/positions, and using their physiology to further protect themselves.
Exercise:
Counter the physical demands of work by preparing, resetting, and strengthening the body.
Task: Applying a bucket cover
Most bucket covers are constructed with material that will take the shape of the object it is covering, with an elastic band around the edges that allows the cover to cinch around the bucket. Standard bucket covers must be applied from one side of the bucket to the other, much like applying a fitted sheet from the opposite side of the bed: first, you’d position yourself next to the mattress on the corner you are applying the sheet; you’d then fasten each corner by walking the perimeter of the bed until each corner is fastened. If you were to apply the corner across from you without walking around the bed, you’d most likely end up on one leg, reaching into your end range of motion to try to fasten the elastic under the mattress.
E1: Engineering
Observe how this employee is reaching across the bucket, bending at the waist, and balancing on one leg, all while applying force to try to get the elastic portion of the cover to catch around the bucket.
Applying a bucket cover in this manner combines the risk of lumbar spine, shoulder and wrist injuries (due to shoulder overextension and the force being exerted on the bucket cover) with an increased slip and fall potential as a result of awkward positioning.
At-Risk Behavior:
- Overextending shoulders to reach
- Bending at the waist
- Balancing on one leg
Recommendation: Use a reinforced collapsible bucket cover
Utilizing a reinforced collapsible bucket cover in place of a standard cover is far less taxing on the body. The reinforced cover allows the employee to keep their trunk in a neutral position. The employee’s shoulders are working in mid-range of motion when hooking the cover to the bucket. The body remains in a neutral, upright position while securing all sides of the cover to the bucket. This eliminates any awkward positioning, eliminates the risk of a slip and fall occurrence, and eliminates the force that would have been required to fasten the cover. The lumbar spine, shoulders, and wrists are all working in a safer manner.
E2: Ergonomics
When comparing the two bucket cover styles, the collapsible design of the reinforced cover allows the employee to keep their trunk upright, avoid working in end range of motion and not overextend their body frame to secure the cover to the rear of the bucket. This not only decreases chance of injury to low back, shoulders and wrists, but it also reduces risk of a slip or fall injury from the body being overextended to one side.
Recommendations for best-practice positioning:
After the cover is secured to the rear portion of the bucket, the collapsible model allows the employee to simply lay the cover down instead of having to generate force to pull the cover over the lip of the bucket in an outstretched weakened position and then pull the cover closed. This reduces a leading indicator of injury, which is force generated when body position is extended to end-ranges of motion.
E3: Exercise
When preparing to apply a bucket cover or preparing for any job task that may require forward reaching into end-ranges of motion, warming up the muscle groups and regions of the body that are going to be tasked with work is a smart preventive measure to take in order to reduce risk of injury. Take these out into the field with you as you prepare your body for work.
Walking hip circles: Activates glutes, hamstrings, core and low back muscles.
- Bring your knee up so that your thigh is parallel to your hip.
- Point your knee out away from you, then slowly bring the knee back to center.
- Repeat on your opposite leg.
- Once you’ve achieved ten full circles on each leg, take the same movement in reverse and slowly repeat while walking backwards.
Good Morning’s: Activates the muscles of the posterior chain such as the glutes, hamstrings, and erector spinae.
The muscles of your core are forced to work to stabilize the spine through the movement. This is also an important movement and reminder to “hip hinge” when performing a squat or lift to protect the lumbar spine.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your core engaged and your back flat.
- Place your fingertips behind your ears.
- Push your hips back and lower your torso until it is parallel to the floor; pause, then slowly return to the starting position.
- Complete a cycle of ten to prepare the body for movement.
Planks: Strengthens core and provides shoulder stability.
Click the image below to download a printable guide to proper plank form and injury prevention benefits.
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